Shingles (Herpes Zoster)

Description of virus that causes the disease.

(What type and size ? Include a diagram or virus micrograph if possible.)

• The virus that causes shingles is called Herpes Zoster
• This disease first causes chicken pocks then lyes dormant in your nerve roots and can be reactivated then causing shingles
• It is a form of herpes
• 

Viral Specificity:

• The virus sits dormant in your nerves

• It causes rashes/blister on the surface of the skin
• It usually occurs on one side of the body inb only one spot

Symptoms and progression of the disease:

• At first you will experience a headache
• You could possibly be sensitive to light
• It is possible to experience flu like symptoms
• When it progresses pain or tingling can occur in one area
• A rash appears that will turn into a cluster of blisters that fill with fluid and crust over
• After this the blisters will start to heal taking 2-4 weeks
• Some people get very mild versions of this
• The incubation period of this disease is 14-21 days
• If the rash occurs on your face and spreads to your eyes it can scar your cornea effecting vision
• Itching or redness of the skin can last for months or years (very uncommon)
• 

Common Methods of Transmission:

• Shingles cannot be transmitted
• To get shingles you first had to of had chicken pocks
• Someone with shingles can only give someone chicken pocks
• This can happen through direct contact or indirect contact (touching a door knob)
• 

Treatment and Prevention (if any):

• The only prevention is to avoid others infected with chicken pocks or shingles
• After chicken pocks has been contracted shingles cannot be prevented
• To treat shingles anti-viral medicines can be used

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